Skinny singles dink game

Setup

1. Split the court lengthways along the centre line, extended through the kitchen with tape or a few cones. Two players use each half, straight across from each other at the kitchen line.
2. Everyone wears protective eyewear. The two games are close together, so call 'ball on court' and stop if a ball rolls across.

How it runs

1. Start each rally with a dink from the kitchen line into the opponent's half of the kitchen.
2. Every shot must land in the opponent's half of the kitchen, except an attack off a ball that rose above net height: that may land anywhere in the half court.
3. Volleys are allowed, but not while touching the kitchen or its line, and a volley whose momentum carries you onto the line is a fault.
4. Practice scoring: every rally wins a point, first to 11, win by 2. Take turns to start the rally.
5. Winners move up a court, the other player moves down.

Coaching points

• Bend the knees, not the back, to get under low dinks.
• Aim the dink to drop just over the net or deep in the kitchen near the line; both are hard to attack.
• Be patient. Attack only a ball you meet above net height, and aim it low: feet or paddle-side hip, never the face.
• Recover to a balanced, paddle-up position after every dink.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the dink so it sits up to be attacked.
• Speeding up a ball from below net height, which usually ends in the net or pops up.
• Stepping into the kitchen to volley.